Metallic vehicle-wheel.



No. 7l3,7'86v Patented Nov. I8, I902.

T. MIDG'LEY.

METALLIC VEHICLE WHEEL.

Applicaticn filed Sept. 22, 1902.)

3 Sheets-Shut I.

(No Model.)

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git/manna m. 213,786. Patented Nov. 18, I902.

' T MIDGLEY METALLIC VEHICLEWHEEL. Appl & n flldsept 22 1902 3Sheets-Sheet 2.

(lo Model.)

wituzaow @725 m. 713,786. Patented Nuv. 18, I902.

- T. MIIJGLEY.

METALLIC VEHICLE WHEEL.

[A plication filed Sept. 22, 1902.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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U 1TB States Pater FFICE.

THOMAS MIDGLEY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MIDGLEY MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

M ETALLIC VEHICLE-WHEEL.

enESlFllGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 713,786, dated November18, 1902.

Application filed September 22,1902. Serial No- 124,46l. (No model.)

To ctlZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MIDGLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Vehicle-NVheels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to metallic vehiclewheels for general use-such asautomobiles, locomobiles, and vehicles of any preferred typehas for itsobject the production of a strong and durable wheel, and it consists incertain improvements in construction,which will be fully disclosed inthe following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings,which form part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for making tubular metallicwheel-spokes; Fig. 2, a perspective of the blank after the first orinitial bending thereof; Fig. 3, a like View of the blank bent intoelliptical form; Fig. 4, a side'elevation of the blank, showing the heador swell partly formed; Fig. 5, a like view showing the side of theblank ata right angle to the side shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, an end Viewof the blank; Fig. 7', a side view of a spoke ready to receive itsreinforce; Fig. 8, a like view showing the side of the spoke at a rightangle to the side shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a side elevation of the spokewith a reinforce in the head thereof; Fig. 10, a transverse section online 10 10, Fig. 9; Fig. 11, a side elevation of one-half of one of thereinforces; Fig. 12, a vertical transverse section of a hub plate ordisk with one of the spokes in position thereon; Fig. 13, a verticaltransverse section on line 13 13, Fig. 12, showing a hubplate on eachside of the spoke; Fig. 14, a side elevation of one of the thimbleswhich extend through the hub-plates and the spokes; Fig. 15, a sideelevation, partly in section, of a spoke having its fiat sides filled orclosed; Fig. 16, a like view, partly in section, showing the side at aright angle to that shown in Fig. 15; Fig. 17, a perspective of anassembled wheel without an elongated hub-section on the sides of thehub-plates; Fig. 18, a perspective of a modified construction of thereinforce applied to a spoke, and Fig. 19 a like view of one-half of thereinforce.

Reference being bad to the drawings and the designating charactersthereon, 1 indicates a spoke-blank of a length equal to the length ofthe spoke and having tapering sides 2 2 for forming a tapering spoke,and the blank is provided with a longitudinal incision 3, which extendsfar enough up the blank to leave a wedge-shaped opening 4 in the blankand spoke, as shown in Figs. 4, t

7, 9, 12, and 18. The blankis cut out of rolled sheet-steel and placedin a suitable die, in which it receives its initial bend and assumes theU-shaped form shown in Fig. 2, and is then placed in another die and theside seam 5 approximately closed and the blank bent into elliptic form,as shown in Fig. 3. The large end of the blank is then placed in asuitable die and the large end opened to form the straight and parallelsides 6 6, their lateral flanges 7, and the wedge-shaped opening 4 oneach side of the spoke-blank between and above the sides 6. The same endof the blank is then placed in another die and the sides 6 6 bentinwardto form the angular sides 8 8 and cut out the notches or recesses 9 9 inthe flanges 7 7. The blank has now assumed the shape of a spoke and isready to receive thereinforce 10, which is stamped into form in asuitable die, is in two parts, each part having a neck 11, which extendsup into the tubular body of the spoke,and a head in which is atransverse depression 12 to form an opening 12 through the reinforce forabolt to as semble the spokes in a suitable hub. On the edges of theadjacent faces of the reinforce are laterally-extending flanges 13 tostiffen the reinforce and form a bearing or seat on a the inside of thespoke to join the reinforce to the spoke by molten metal in a suitablebrazing-bath.

In Figs. 18 and 19 I have shown a modified construction of thereinforce, and in which it is given a wedge-shaped head 14, a neck 15 toextend up into the body of the spoke, a transverse opening 16, and afterhaving been placed in the head of the spoke-blank, the sides 6 6 areclosed down upon the angular sides of the reinforce in a suitable die.

The spokes 24 may now have their Wedgeshaped openings 7 filled in andthe spoke dipped in a bath of brazing metal and a spoke 17 (shown inFigs. 15 and 16) formed suitable for use in some kinds ofvehicle-wheels.

18 is a hub plate or disk on which a plate of thin sheet-steel 19,having wedge-shaped projections 20, is secured, there being as manyprojections 20 as there are spokes in the wheel to be assembled, and inassembling the spokes the recesses 9 are made to engage the ring-likeportion 21 on the plate 19 with the projections 20 over and filling therecess 4: in the spoke, as shown in Fig. 12. After the spokes have allbeen assembled the metal adjacent to the joints in the spokes ishammered down to make'close joints and the thimbles 22 are inserted inthe openings 23 in the hub-plates and pass through the openings in thereinforce, when the assembled wheel is ready for immersion in a bath ofmolten metal, and all the parts of the wheel thus far described aremetallically joined together and form an inseparable whole. The wheelthus constructed may be finished by applying. any preferred form of huband bearings for an axle, a suitable rim or felly, and a suitable tire.The Wheel thus constructed is strong and durable, capable of resistinggreat lateral strain and supporting great weight.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1.Atubularmetallicwheel-spokeprovided with a wedge-shaped head having atransverse reinforce therein.

2. A tubular metallic wheel-spoke provided with a wedge-shaped headhaving a transverse reinforce and an opening through the reinforce.

3. A tubular metallic wheel-spoke provided with a wedge-shaped headhaving a transverse reinforce therein metallically joined to the Wallsof the head.

4. A tubular metallic wheel-spoke provided with a wedge-shaped headhaving inwardlyprojecting flanges on its sides, recesses in the flanges,and a reinforce in the head.

5. A tubular metallic wheel-spoke having an enlarged head, a reinforcein said head, and an opening extending transversely through the head.

6. A tubular metallic wheel-spoke provided with a wedge-shaped headhaving a transverse opening therein, and a reinforce forming a wall forsaid opening.

7. A tubular metallic Wheel-spoke provided with a wedge-shaped headhaving a transverse opening therein, and a reinforce forming a wall forsaid opening and extending into the body of the spoke.

S. Atubularmetallic wheel-spoke approximately elliptical incross-section, provided with a wedge-shaped head having straight sides,and a transverse reinforce in said head metallically joined to the sidesthereof and extending from the head into the body of the spoke.

9. A plurality of tubular metallic wheelspokes having wedge-shapedheads; in combination with disks on the sides of the spokes andmetallically joined thereto.

10. A plurality of tubular metallic wheelspokes having Wedge-shapedheads provided with reinforces, and a transverse opening; in combinationwith disks on the sides of the spokes and metallically joined thereto.

11. A plurality of tubular metallic wheels pokes having heads providedwith reinforces metallically joined thereto; in combination with disksmetallically joined to the sides of the head.

12. A plurality of tubular metallic wheelspokes having heads providedwith transverse openings; in combination With disks having openingscorresponding with the openings in the spokes, and thimbles extendingthrough said disks and spokes, and metallically joined together.

13. A tubular metallic wheel-spoke having an enlarged head, and atransverse reinforce metallically joined to the inside of the walls ofthe head.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS MID GLEY.

Witnesses:

PARNELL CULL, CHARLES S. M. KRUMM.

